Merry Christmas to My Son, From Father
by ptdumas1957
Summary: Tom helps one of his sons through an unexpected Christmas gift. Originally planned as one of the 500-word ficlets for an upcoming 2019 Christmas challenge on another site, but I couldn't whittle it down enough. Happy Holidays!


**TITLE: Merry Christmas to My Son, From Father**

**UNIVERSE**: Series canon

**TIMELINE: ** Set at the first Christmas after Heath's arrival

**SUMMARY: ** Tom helps one of his sons through an unexpected Christmas Gift. Originally planned as one of the 500-word ficlets for an upcoming 2019 Christmas challenge on another site, but I couldn't whittle it down enough. :-)

* * *

Victoria stood quietly at the drawing room doors. She'd gone through the house on her way to bed, picking up the various messes from their Christmas Day celebration as she went along, determined that tomorrow Silas would have as relaxed at day as was possible, in thanks for all of the hard work he'd done helping her prepare for today.

As she walked through the rooms, blowing out lamps, banking fireplaces for the night, she made her last stop in the drawing room before heading up the stairs, noting that while it was low, there appeared to be a lamp still lit there.

There was. But what stopped her from entering was what else she saw in the room. She thought he'd gone to bed hours ago, but no. There he stood, right hand on the mantel, a glass of amber liquid in his left, gazing thoughtfully into the flames. Victoria didn't think he looked sad, just pensive. She hesitated a moment, not wanting to disturb him if his thoughts were private, but she felt the usual pull she always did when this son … _this_ son… was so quiet.

"Penny for your thoughts," she said softly.

Startled slightly, Nick glanced up, and then smiled. "They're not worth it."

"Oh, I don't know," she smiled, coming up beside him. "They looked fairly deep to me."

Nick sighed and shook his head. "Just thinking… so much has happened this year."

"Great gains… and losses," she nodded. "New friends made... heroes toppled." She glanced up at her husband's portrait, his wise and intense blue eyes gazing down at her.

"Yes."

That one word, accompanied by a down-to-the-boots sigh, made her mother's heart ache. She placed a gentle hand on the side of her tall, dark son's face.

"Have you forgiven him, Mother?"

Victoria smiled. "Yes, Nick, I have," she acknowledged, tenderly. "Have you?"

"I keep trying."

"Well, it isn't a one-time thing."

Frowning in puzzlement, Nick gazed down at her.

She grinned up at him. "Forgiveness has to happen over and over again, sweetheart. Every time a little lick of anger or hurt or betrayal lights up that wound again for us, we have to compel ourselves to forgive once more." She saw this concept swim through her second son's mind and patted his arm. "What lit it up again for you?"

Nick sighed, sipping his drink, and shrugged. "Oh, I don't know… Christmas, I guess," he grunted.

She waited patiently. She'd learned long ago you didn't drag feelings out of Nick; he either exploded with them on his own, whether you were ready or not, or you had to wait for him to share. She watched him chuckle to himself.

"You never give up, do ya, Mother?"

She smiled.

He heaved a sigh, setting his glass on top of the mantel. "So many times, today, when I was looking at Heath, watching him try to figure out what was going on with our family traditions… things we've done for as long as I can remember!... and seeing him look like he felt a bit … well, on the outside looking in, I guess… I found myself so angry at Father. Angry for denying us the chance to have Christmases together as boys. Angry at what Heath's life was like before he came here." Grimly Nick shook his head. "That's all. I know it ain't sensible, Father didn't know, but still… "

She nodded thoughtfully. "Well, that's a gift, then isn't it?"

He stared at her, confused.

"This time, your anger… your need to forgive him, is mostly on behalf of someone other than yourself," said Victoria gently. "Someone you've come to love."

Nick tipped his head to the side, brows knit as he gazed at her. Then he leaned over and kissed her forehead tenderly. "Thanks, Mother. I guess it is a gift, at that."

"Merry Christmas, Nick."

~-oo0oo-~


End file.
